Life saving device



Feb. 4, 1964 R. P. VEEN LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed March 20, 1961 1320822308 RoeZof Bl'eflfle Veezw, By W W q 78W I flfibwzegs United States Patent Ofi ice 3,120,010 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 3,120,010 LHFE SAVING DEVICE Roelof Pierre Veen, 59 Chemin de Suzon, Talence, Gironde, France Filed Mar. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 101,618 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-4) This invention relates to life saving apparatus.

The life saving apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises an assembly of two cylinders, or other hollow bodies arranged with their axes perpendicular to one another and connected together in a fluid-tight manner so as to form a closed vessel except for an opening at one end of one of the cylinders. The assembly is provided with means, for example a keel, for maintaining the axis of the said one cylinder in a vertical direction when in water. The dimensions of the cylinders are such that a user can sit down in the vertical cylinder with his legs stretched into the horizontal cylinder and with his head emerging from the vertical cylinder.

Such apparatus retains many of the advantages of the usual type of inflatable individual boat, particularly so far as protection of the shipwrecked person against cold and fatigue. It also avoids disadvantages such as long preparation, danger of upsetting, and diflicul-ty in launchmg.

Preferably one or more water ballast tanks are provided to help keep the apparatus upright in place of the keel. The -tank(s) can be filled either before or after launching and are located at the lower portion of the cylinders. The simplest construction comprises a horizontal wall forming a tank compartment at the lower portion, this compartment having a volume calculated to ensure that the floating apparatus is sufficiently low in the water.

For filling, it is merely necessary to provide one or more manually operable valves. The discharge valves for the air enclosed in the compartment will be arranged in the upper portion of the latter, whereas firee orifices situated on the lower genenatrix permit the entry of water. The discharge valves will be preferably external, since in most cases, filling will have to be carried out by the shipwrecked person when he is himself in the water, holding on to the apparatus.

The apparatus can also include means for ensuring sealing the opening in the vertical-axis cylinder around a user, pneumatic means for providing a buoyancy reserve, comfort for the occupant and thermal insulation and a fluid tight inner lining enveloping the occupant and providing him some comfort and thermal insulation.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional View on a plane containing the axes of the cylinders.

The apparatus comprises two cylinders a venticalsaxis cylinder 1, a horizontal-axis cylinder 2 and a detachable keel 3. The two cylinders, which are preferably made of metal, are connected together by welding, the lower generatrix of the cylinder 2 being in the plane of the bottom 4 of the cylinder 1. The cylinder 2 is closed by the end 5. It is covered internally over part of its length by a resilient lining 6, made for example of expanded polystyrene. The cylinder 1 is lined internally at its walls by a double-wall lining 7 which can be inflated and thus form an airfil-led mattress which constitutes a buoyancy reserve in the event of water accidentally penetrating into the apparatus, and also for protecting the occupant against impacts and cold, and providing him with some comfort.

Fixed by welding to the upper portion of the cylinder 1 is a grooved collar '8 into the groove of which there is forced a resilient packing ring 9 which is used as a fixing means for a water-proof cloth or skin made of plastic material 10* which is intended to close the open end of the cylinder '1. This closure is perforated with an opening ll which is itself edged with a collar portion 12 adapted to fit about the neck of the occupant.

This form of closure assumes that it is put in position after the occupant himself has taken up his place in the apparatus.

It will be apparent that it could be replaced by any other equivalent form of closure which makes this sequence unnecessary. For example, a water-proof cloth of cylindrical form and having a diameter corresponding to that of the cylinder 1 could be used with the circular edge of this cloth cylinder being caught under the ring 9, whereas the opposite circular edge will be provided with a tying means whereby it can be brought together and tightened close about the neck of the occupant. It would also be possible to use, for example, sliding clasp fasteners of a fluid-tight type.

Fixing means 13 will be provided about the cylinder 1 in order to facilitate suspension and handling, more particularly for launching.

It is possible to double the sealing means described hereinbefore by providing a fluid-tight bag matching the shape of all or pant of the cavity and whose opening can be tied under the occupants armpits.

A modification of the invention which insures that the apparatus will maintain an upright attitude when in Water provides a water balance tank defined between the bottom of the assembly and a sloping wall 14 extending from a point near the lower corner of one side wall to a point about halfway up the end of the horizontally disposed cylinder. The shape of the resulting tank helps to cornpensate for the weight of the user so that the upper part of his body can remain vertical. In this construction the upper cylinder will be comparatively short say 10 centimetres above the level of the horizontally disposed cylinder and constitutes a hatch for the apparatus.

When the modified apparatus is used the buoyancy ballast tanks can be filled either automatically or by the user.

FIG. 2 shows a water inlet 15 and an air discharge valve 16 for the ballast tank. If the discharge valve 16 is left open, the ballast tank will be filled automatically when the life saving device is immersed in water.

The apparatus can be storedon the deck of a ship, with its opening closed by a tight cover. When empty, it can easily be thrown overboard by a single man without any help, even in the worst possible conditions, and notably, whatever may be the list of the vessel. A rope stopper (line), the loose end of which is kept in the hand of the man, enables him to join the apparatus in the water, even in the fiercest sea and the darkest night and even when he cannot swim (provided he is fitted with a jacket). Merely released from its mooring and left on the deck, it will float off if the vessel disappears.

The passengers introduction into the apparatus can take place either before launching or in the water. In the latter ease, the shipwrecked person submerges him-self and the apparatus, filling this entirely with water; he then places himself into its inside through the hatch and empties the upper compartment by means of a small handoperated bilge pump provided for that purpose.

The size of the apparatus is such that (food and fresh water can be stored in it for several days also distress rockets, medicine and dry clothes, a paddle and any other useful article.

Since numerous minor variations of the preferred embodiment of my' invention will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, it is not my intention to confine the invention to the precise form herein shown, but rather to limit it in terms of the appended claim.

Having thus described and disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, whatl claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

I claim:

A life saving device comprising a rigid water-tight vertically extending cylindrical vessel having a bottom wall and being of a height and diameter to accommodate a seated persons hips, torso, arms and shoulders with the head extending above said vessel, a rigid Water-tight horizontal cylindrical vessel secured in Water-tight relation to said vertically extending vessel and being of a smaller diameter than said vertically extending vessel, said horizontally extending vessel being secured to said vertically extending vessel at the lower portion thereof and extending forwardly therefrom and below the top thereof and terminating in a forward wall, the lower Wall portion of said horizontally extending vessel being in approximately the same plane as said bottom wall of said vertically extending vessel, an upwardly inclined transverse wall extending from the rear portion toward the front portion of said horizontally extending vessel and extending thereacross and secured to the inner periphery thereof, said inclined wall dividing said horizontally extending vessel into upper and lower water-tight compartments, said upper compartment constituting a continuation of said vertically extending vessel and being of a size sufficient to accommodate the legs of the said person, and means for flooding said lower compartment to provide ballast for said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,769 Manny Dec. 25, 1900 1,081,115 Hills Dec. 9, 1913 1,284,968 Anderson Nov. 19, 1918 1,794,883 Gorder Mar. 3, 1931 h m-L.- 

